The present invention is related to a mechanism for seating and unseating a module having an electrical connector, and is particularly related to seating and unseating of connectors requiring an insertion/extraction force that requires mechanical advantage to seat and unseat the connector where the seating mechanism does not add to the dimensions of the module.
Seating mechanisms for modules having an electrical connector are known and rely on a camming mechanism requiring an actuating handle. Other seating mechanisms are known having jackscrews screwed into or through mounting flanges to seat or unseat the electrical connector. Many of the mechanisms add to the dimensions, such as the width, of the module.
The present invention uses a rotating camming action combined with a linear traveling stop to seat a module such as a Field Replaceable Unit (FRU) such that a connector half on the FRU is inserted into connector half on a rack into which the FRU is placed. The linear stop provides the ability to withdraw the FRU, and the rotating cam draws the FRU into the connector. When the FRU is inserted, the rotating cam is totally contained within the FRU and the linear stop controls the point to which the FRU can be inserted, thus preventing any pins in the connector from making contact in an uncontrolled fashion. As the seating mechanism is actuated, the linear stop moves backward to allow the rotating cam to draw the FRU into the connector in a controlled fashion.